Chapter 342: A Thorn in the Side
Chapter 341: A Thorn in the Side
Now herein lay the issue.
Lucian had come for information about the competition, but not for himself. He had come to gather intelligence that might help Julian secure a favourable match, to ensure that his friend would not be pitted against someone who would easily defeat him. He had come to manipulate the system from within.
But now, the Queen had already concluded the ballot. She had already made her arrangements. And he had to find a way to manipulate the already decided outcome without raising her suspicion.
Honestly, that in itself would not be an issue.
The real challenge lay in ensuring the Queen did not suspect anything. She was sharp, observant, and possessed a keen instinct for when someone was working against her. If he showed even the slightest hint of hesitation or interest, she would seize upon it like a hawk upon its prey.
He needed to be careful.
He needed to be calculated.
"Are you certain I can beat the opponent you have chosen for me?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of casual curiosity.
The Queen nodded, a faint smile playing at her lips.
"I am quite certain," she said. "I paid close attention to who it was that you would draw, and also to who it was that Duke Valenridge would draw to battle."
Lucian’s mind immediately began to race.
He wondered if Evander would be able to defeat whoever he faced. The Duke was cunning, resourceful, and far more capable than he let on. But if the Queen had arranged for him to face a particularly formidable opponent, even Evander might struggle.
Still, he could not pry.
If he asked too many questions, the Queen would become suspicious. She would want to know why he cared about the other candidates’ matches. She would start to wonder if he had ulterior motives.
So he remained silent.
The Queen studied him for a moment, her gaze sharp and probing.
"I have noticed something," she said slowly, her voice carrying a note of careful observation.
Lucian did not react.
"You have become quite cosy with some of the suitor candidates," she continued. "The four you have aligned yourself with are rather interesting choices, if I do say so myself. I wonder, are you aware of the company you keep?"
Lucian remained quiet, letting her continue.
"You have chosen the four that the crown tends to have issues with," she said. "The four who are most troublesome, most difficult to control. And also..."
She paused, her smile widening slightly.
"...the four the princess is most infatuated with."
By "the princess," Lucian knew she was speaking of Jacinta. The Queen cared naught for Lyria, after all. To her, Lyria was nothing but an inconvenience, a shadow that refused to fade. Jacinta was the only princess that mattered.
The Queen leaned forward slightly.
"Care to explain yourself?" she asked.
A slow smile spread across Lucian’s lips. It was a calculated expression, one he had perfected over years of navigating the treacherous waters of court politics.
"The best way to win your enemies," he said smoothly, "is to pretend to be a part of them."
The Queen threw her head back and laughed.
It was a genuine laugh, rare and unexpected. Her shoulders shook with the force of it, and for a brief moment, she looked almost human.
"I understand," she said, her voice still carrying traces of amusement. "You would never betray me, Lucian. I know that. The King thought perhaps you might turn against the crown, but I assured him you would not. After all, your family owes a great deal to me."
Lucian’s hands folded behind his back.
His family was her family too. It had been hers before it became his, but she did not care, it seemed.
His fingers curled into fists, his knuckles white with the effort of maintaining his composure. But his expression remained light, his smile easy and unbothered.
"Of course, Your Majesty," he said, his voice carrying a note of sincerity that did not reach his eyes. "I will never forget the help you have extended to my family. After all, we owe you a great deal."
The Queen smiled, apparently satisfied with his answer.
For a moment, the chamber fell quiet.
Lucian remained standing before her, his posture relaxed and respectful. He knew better than to let his thoughts show on his face. The Queen was not a woman one could deceive through carelessness. Every pause, every glance, every change in tone could become a piece of evidence if she chose to examine it closely enough.
He had learned that lesson long ago.
"There is another thorn in my side, though," she said, her tone shifting to something more contemplative.
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Another thorn?"
The Queen nodded.
"You know the one I mean," she said. "None other than the spawn."
Lucian’s expression remained carefully neutral.
"She is a persistent nuisance," the Queen continued, her voice carrying a note of irritation. "I sent a spy to watch her, to report on her movements and her activities, but there has been nothing of note to report. The girl does nothing remarkable. She simply... exists."
She said the last word with such disdain that Lucian almost found it amusing.
There was something deeply ironic about the Queen being frustrated by Lyria’s apparent lack of activity. The woman had expected to uncover some hidden scheme, some secret alliance, or perhaps some evidence that would justify the contempt she already held for the princess.
Instead, she had found nothing.
And that, somehow, seemed to irritate her even more.
"Have you noticed anything unusual about her?" she asked. "Anything that might be of interest?"
Lucian shook his head.
"I do not spend much time with her," he said, his voice carefully measured. "I have no information to offer you."
The Queen raised an eyebrow at that, her gaze sharpening.
"I should hope not," she said, her voice carrying a note of warning. "Especially after that debacle of you teaching her to dance."
Lucian’s smile remained in place.
"I believe the matter was settled satisfactorily."
"Satisfactorily?" the Queen repeated, sounding almost incredulous. "You call that satisfactory?"
Lucian said nothing.
There was little point in arguing with her. Besides, he had no intention of reminding her that Lyria had done nothing wrong. The Queen would only interpret any defence of the girl as evidence that there was more to his association with her than he admitted.
He had already given her enough to think about.
The Queen watched him for another moment before settling back against the headboard.
"I do not believe I have told you this before," she continued, "but I think you ought to know. I must admit, I do not fear for you in this regard, because I know you dislike the spawn. But you must know that you are not to spend more than five minutes with her. If possible, you should not accept any dates with her at all."
The Queen’s eyes met his.
"It is for your own good," she said.